Motorized leather Burnisher

Chuddy Bear · Mar 17, 2009

I bought a motorized leather burnisher a couple months ago after reading some reviews on a leatherwork forum. It has worked out great and gives a very nice burnished edge. I have no connection to the maker of this product, I am just putting this out there for others to see as I have not seen anything posted about it yet. I have tried just about everything under the sun to speed up the edge burnishing process and this is by far the best and easiest.

The guy in the video says it saves hours of work and he is right.

This is a link to his youtube video of the machine at work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&hl=en-GB&v=1uMUSZlgyjg

rayban · Mar 17, 2009

I used that one for a couple months and I thought it was OK...better than doing it by hand like I used to, that's for sure.
I"m using this one made of Osage now and I like it much better.
I like the finished look it produces better....just my preference.

Chuddy Bear · Mar 17, 2009

Did you make that????

I am a bit picky about edges, so I still do some work by hand prior to using the machine, but it still saves me time over my old routine.

rayban · Mar 18, 2009

My buddy worked the lathe, I supervised and furnished the wood and the beer.

cazio · Mar 18, 2009

rayban said:
My buddy worked the lathe, I supervised and furnished the wood and the beer.

I've been thinking of something like that for a long time now but have never seemn one to copy, I did see an aluminum one in an older holster making book but never seemed to be able to find out who sells them. Great idea, thanks for the picture.
Chuddy bear thanks for the video link.

mooreknives · Mar 24, 2009

I have been making a few of the burnishers for awhile, a friend bought one at a leather show made out of plastic and wanted one of a hard wood so we made a couple on my wood lathe, pretty simple to make once you have the block of wood, I have made a few out of ebony and they work great. Bill

mooreknives · Mar 25, 2009

error

mooreknives · Mar 26, 2009

.....

Patrice Lemée · Mar 28, 2009

One small question about the width of the grooves of the burnisher. Are they suppose to be a little wider than the leather? Or are we trying to round the edges a little at the same time as we burnish?

You can probably tell that I am a beginner at this.

Thanks

Pat

rayban · Mar 28, 2009

Patrice Lemée;6660772 said:
One small question about the width of the grooves of the burnisher. Are they suppose to be a little wider than the leather? Or are we trying to round the edges a little at the same time as we burnish?

You can probably tell that I am a beginner at this.

Thanks

Pat

My opinion is to make the grooves in the wood 1/16" wider than the intended thickness of leather to be worked in it.....works for me.

xaman · Mar 29, 2009

What speed is that turning at? Would it work in a drill press?

Patrice Lemée · Mar 29, 2009

Thanks Rayban.

Mine turns at 3600rpm on a buffer. I tried it on the lathe at around 1100 rpm and it doesn't work as good but still faster than by hand so you can try it with the drill press.

Pat

mooreknives · Mar 29, 2009

The burnishers that I make are ment to be used in a mill or drill press, and you can speed them up r slow them down, they work best (for me) at about 1100 to 1300 RPM's. I make them with all size crown's to fit the thickness of you leather I even make a point for burnishing drain holes and around the back of the belt loop if you wanted to. I will try to include a couple of pictures if I can. Thanks for looking, Bill.

rayban · Mar 29, 2009

WOW...at 3600 rpm I bet there is smoke!! I have mine attached to a 1/2hp motor turning at 1725....I'm sure a 1/4 hp would work just as well......
Made one out of cocobolo yesterday to see if there is a difference.........not much, but prettier.

xaman · Mar 29, 2009

rayban said:
WOW...at 3600 rpm I bet there is smoke!! I have mine attached to a 1/2hp motor turning at 1725....I'm sure a 1/4 hp would work just as well......
Made one out of cocobolo yesterday to see if there is a difference.........not much, but prettier.

Very nice, now may I have the Osage one???

WadeH · Mar 30, 2009

Rayban make another because I want the Bocote one.

xaman · Mar 30, 2009

mooreknives said:
The burnishers that I make are ment to be used in a mill or drill press, and you can speed them up r slow them down, they work best (for me) at about 1100 to 1300 RPM's. I make them with all size crown's to fit the thickness of you leather I even make a point for burnishing drain holes and around the back of the belt loop if you wanted to. I will try to include a couple of pictures if I can. Thanks for looking, Bill.

Those look great :thumbup:

rayban · Mar 30, 2009

Sorry Xaman.....I would have but somebody from merry ole England beat you out by about 12 hours.

lukus · Mar 31, 2009

Years ago I made a burnishing wheel based on some wheels I'd seen used by the best leatherworker I've ever met. I bought a piece of 1/2" thick shoe sole leather and cut out three 8" diameter circles and glued them together for a 1 1/2"x8" leather wheel that goes on my grinder. I cut several different sized grooves in it and waxed it up good with beeswax.

It works great! Puts a nice burnished edge on the leather without burning it. All I do is occasionally wax it up.